Vaillant, George (Eman) (1934- )

US psychiatrist. In 1967 he became involved with the Grant Study of 268 Harvard students, begun in 1937; this ongoing longitudinal study focused on the adaptations and defence mechanisms that allow people to live their lives successfully. He discussed his findings and observations in Adaptations to Life (1977). An authority on alcoholism, which he began researching in 1972, he wrote The Natural History of Alcoholism (1983). Vaillant was born in New York City.